Step 1Primary sourceWell documented
Stop before you share or believe
The strongest reactions deserve the most suspicion
On the timeline · around Step 1 ·
Quick facts
- Time this takes
- A few seconds
What happened
When a claim makes you feel something strong, pause before doing anything with it. That is the first move of the SIFT method: stop, and ask whether you actually know the website or the person making the claim. You are not deciding whether the claim is true yet. You are just refusing to pass it along on reflex.
Why it matters
Content built to mislead is usually built to be shared fast. A pause costs seconds and breaks the loop.
How we know
SIFT's first move, from the method's creator Mike Caulfield: stop, then check what you know about the source before reading on.
Sources
- Mike Caulfield. SIFT (The Four Moves) (2019) · Primary source (author-declared)hapgood.us · Cited as a "primary" source (no stronger domain match). · Link checked and content matched (Jul 2026)
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Part of a guideHow to Fact-Check a Claim You Read Online6 steps · Read like a professional fact-checker: four moves that catch most bad claims in under two minutes.View all →